Trump Admin. Weaponizing Tax Laws to Silence Dissent, Attack Nonprofits Providing Essential Services to Vulnerable People

“This is about Trump and Republicans punishing people who disagree with them. It is about attacking nonprofits of all sizes that serve the vulnerable and marginalized and stand in the gap for our communities. It’s about trying to intimidate every charity and nonprofit in this country and spark a fear that if you speak up – if you do something the Republicans don’t like – you could be next.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, in a House Oversight Subcommittee hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) condemned Donald Trump’s targeted, authoritarian assault on nonprofit organizations it disagrees with. Congresswoman Pressley discussed the Trump Administration’s efforts to revoke the tax-exempt status of Harvard University as part of Republicans’ broader campaign to punish dissent and attack organizations that serve vulnerable communities.

A full transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks is below and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Condemns Trump’s Authoritarian Assault on Harvard, Nonprofits

House Oversight DOGE Subcommittee

June 4, 2025

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you to our witnesses for being here today. 

What we are witnessing from Occupant Trump, his Administration, and Republicans writ-large is not governance – it is a targeted, dangerous assault on the independence of our nonprofit organizations. 

We’ve seen these attacks take many forms, perhaps most visibly in my own district – the Massachusetts 7th – as the administration continues its unlawful campaign against Harvard University. Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, freeze billions in federal funding for scientific research to save lives, might I add, and publicly vilify students and faculty – all part and parcel of his attacks on education. 

But let me make it plain: this isn’t just about Harvard and it’s definitely not about government efficiency – the name of this subcommittee. 

This is about Trump and Republicans punishing people who disagree with them. 

It is about attacking nonprofits of all sizes that serve the vulnerable and marginalized and stand in the gap for our communities. 

It’s about trying to intimidate every charity and nonprofit in this country and spark a fear that if you speak up – if you do something the Republicans don’t like – you could be next.

A hospital that provides abortion care. A local food pantry that feeds immigrants. Or an advocacy group that fights for civil rights.

Donald Trump is weaponizing our tax laws to attack nonprofits at the same time he is pushing for tax cuts for Elon Musk and billionaires.

Ms. Yentel, can the President or Executive Branch legally revoke a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status simply because it disagrees with that organization’s lawful speech or mission?

DIANE YENTEL: They can’t. The statute is very clear that that is illegal.

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you. Republicans think the answer is yes, but that would mean every nonprofit in America is just one tweet away from being targeted by the federal government.

I am proud that in the Massachusetts 7th, community-based organizations are speaking up and fighting back against Republican attacks. And I know they are doing it at risk of serious threat.

Ms. Yentel, can you make plain what are the consequences to charities and nonprofits losing tax-exempt status?

MS. YENTEL: Well, tax exempt status is given to nonprofit organizations that do essential work to meet needs in their local communities, in exchange for significant transparency and accountability. And if nonprofit organizations lose their tax exempt status, it could create significant challenges for them to be able to do their work related to how and where they get their funding, and it could cause them to have to shut down their work altogether.

REP. PRESSLEY: Their work which is to the betterment of us all, which is to the collective, our shared constituents. 

MS. YENTEL: Yes.

REP. PRESSLEY: Very good. Let’s put this in perspective:

Trump is firing government workers that administer programs like Head Start and Social Security while also attacking non-profits that provide resources and supports to vulnerable populations.

Trump and his Republican cult do not care about helping people who are struggling. Instead, they want to make them suffer more.  

Now, before I yield back, let me ask the Republican witnesses: if you all think Trump is right for revoking tax-exempt status for nonprofits for their political views, raise your hand then if you think the Heritage Foundation – who wrote Project 2025 – should also lose their tax-exempt status? 

Show of hands, by the logic that is being applied. 

MR. WALTER: I’m not aware of any nonprofit that’s had its status revoked. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Again, the question that I’m posing is, would you please raise your hand if you think the Heritage Foundation who wrote Project 2025 should also lose their tax exempt status? 

Show of hands.

MR. WALTER: It’s a perfectly a reasonable speech by a nonprofit. 

REP. PRESSLEY: So none of you, so none of you, none of you.

The shame and the sham of it all.

Before I yield back, Ms. Yentel, I know that you have been harangued intensely throughout today’s proceedings. Is there anything that you would like to set the record straight on or respond to in my remaining time? 

MS. YENTEL: Thank you, Congresswoman. I would like to use the remaining time to remind us all and every member of this committee of the vital, essential work that nonprofit organizations do in each of your communities, for your constituents, and the work that we do to support them in that work. Nonprofit organizations are local. They are transparent and accountable. They are non-partisan, by law and in practice, and they do essential work to meet the needs of all of your communities and all Americans. Thank you.

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you. I yield back.

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